Two Halves of the Same Heart
by Naruto-fan-Okami-chan
Summary: SEQUEL TO "Best Volunteer Job Ever"! They loved each other, they wanted to see each other again, they were two halves of the same heart.
1. Life goes on

**Two Halves of the Same Heart**

**Chapter 1: Life goes on**

_Beep-beep! _

_Beep-beep!_

_Beep-beep!_

_Beep-be—_

I hit the off button on my alarm, a little too forcefully, because then it crashed to the ground, and the sudden jerk to the side of my hand going with it, caused me to tumble as well. Gravity really is my worst enemy.

I groggily pushed myself off the floor, detangling myself from my covers. I sighed in discontent, I was a having such a great dream until the alarm woke me up.

Then again, I seem to be having a great dream every night, only to be interrupted by my alarm clock.

I was dreaming about Sasuke.

Sasuke Uchiha, the man I had known for only three weeks at Konoha Elementary, and yet we still managed to fall in love; only to be agonizingly separated by my mother.

I huffed; I was going through my morning ritual of having my own personal pity-party. Ignoring the depression I felt, I got ready for my day, slipping into a sleeveless button-up and a skirt.

Heading down to breakfast was then interrupted on the stairs when my cell phone rang, I answered.

"Hello, Ino." I said.

"How'd you know?" She asked.

"You call every morning at this time; you're worse than my alarm clock." I huffed.

"Someone's in a bad mood." Ino retorted. "Were you dreaming about Sasuke again?"

"You know I always do. Nothing should be new." I replied.

"Well, anyway, did you get everything?"

"Yes, Ino; I told you this yesterday. I have everything you asked me to get."

"Great, glad to see your little depression doesn't stand in the way of your work."

I sighed, exasperated; Ino had been planning to host a big party at her house all month, but she had a lot of planning to do, and not enough money on her own to buy it, so guess which unlucky best friend ended up having to help, that's right, me.

I sat down at my counter, pulling forward the breakfast I had assembled while I talked to Ino.

"Really, Sakura, I think you're getting better about the whole separation thing. At least, compared to how you were a couple weeks ago at your eighteenth birthday party. It's been almost six months now, not only do I think you _should_ lighten up; I think you _are_ lightening up." Ino ranted.

"Ino, I don't know how I can become lighter if you keep bringing up what happened, it's not helping the healing."

"Time heals all wounds, Sakura." Ino said.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you and the others later, okay?" I said.

"Fine, bye." Ino said.

"Bye."

I looked out the window.

_Six months. _Nearly six whole months it's been since my mother pulled me off the island. Since I left Konoha Elementary, since I left Sasuke, since I left my happiness.

I finished my meal and quickly got out of the house. Ever since I had gotten back, my mother refuses to tell me what had gone on to make her act in such a way to Uchihas, she actually got a job, so I don't have to really even see her as much as I used to, and I turned eighteen.

Eighteen, the same age as Sasuke. Oh, no! At least try to stop pouting over that! Bad Sakura!

I walked to Ino's house (She had already moved out.) and saw that Tenten had already arrived, and she and Ino had already started continuing the plans they started a while back.

"Morning, Sakura." Tenten greeted me as I came in.

"Good morning, Tenten, Ino." I replied.

"Okay," Ino said, "getting back to what I was saying, I was thinking of putting up some streamers down the halls, and I also wanted to get some cool lighting for the back, oh, and—"

Ino's words were lost to me as I disappeared into my own world; the world of last nights' dream.

I was on the beach at Konoha Elementary, the weather was perfect, and the waves crashed in and out of the shore line. I looked around, seeing Ino, Tenten, Hinata, Temari, the girls I had become friends with over the years. All of them were wearing bathing suits, and throwing around a beach ball.

I looked down to see myself dressed similarly, and back up to my friends playing around. Looking to the side, I saw a bunch of the little kids I had familiarized myself with over the three weeks I had been at the school, all playing in the ocean. Looking to the other side of me, I could see the Konoha Elementary building looming high over the beach.

I was suddenly grabbed from behind, and for a second, I thought I was really experiencing a nightmare, until I turned to see the one who grabbed me was Sasuke.

"Hey, pinkie." He whispered in my ear.

"You know I don't like that." I said back.

"Will this make it better?" He asked as he leaned down to me.

"Sakura!" Ino yelled.

I snapped up from my dream realm. "What?!" I shouted.

"Did you hear any of that?" Ino asked.

"Um…."

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked; when did she get here? Probably while I was in my daydream.

"Oh…um…I'm fine. Where were we?" I said.

Ino and everyone else gave me a skeptic look before continuing with their plans.

"_Ironic." _I thought. _"Ino woke me up exactly where my alarm had gotten me." _

**And this had been the first chapter of my sequel!! Hope you like it so far! I have some big things in store, but hey, you have to have some fluff to make it all make sense. Please review and tell me what you think!! **


	2. Partying it up more ways than one

**Chapter 2: Partying it up more ways than one**

I spilled over onto Ino's couch, tired. I looked around; we were setting up for the party. (We time skipped, oh well, the rest of the week was pretty much the same deal, get over it.) What I didn't get, though, was that the party was tomorrow, and we're setting up right now.

"Ino, don't people normally set up the day _of_ the party, or have everyone on TV been doing it wrong?" I asked.

"We're setting up early so we're not tired when it comes time for the party tomorrow!" Ino explained like it was the simplest concept ever. "That and we have a lot of ground to party up, and not enough time, it starts at five!!"

This is why I'll never host a party; it's more stress and work than fun and dance.

Everything stopped when the doorbell rang.

"Temari's here!" Ino shouted. "Now we can really get working!"

This wasn't work before? My legs are killing me. Temari entered, greeting everyone but me, whom she didn't seem to notice on the couch.

"Hey," Temari asked, "so has anyone heard anything more about the plan for—"

"Hey, Temari!!" Tenten interjected, and grabbed Temari's big fan she always carried around. "Got your fan!!"

Tenten then ran off down the halls.

"Give that back you little!!" Temari roared, chasing after Tenten.

"Watch out for the decorations!!" Ino called.

She and Hinata gave a little sigh of relief.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"O-Oh! Nothing!" Hinata stammered. "T-T-Tenten's just being silly!"

_Crash! _

"Oh! You guys better not have broken anything!!" Ino shrieked, running down the hall.

Hinata whipped her head from me to the hall. "Oh, uh, I better g-go and check it out! M-make sure everyone's okay. B-be right back!" And she, too, ran down the hall.

"…My friends are nuts." I sighed.

After calming down the mayhem that was unfolding, setting up for about another three hours, and cleaning up the statue Tenten accidentally hit with the fan while running (Much to Ino's displeasure.) I finally headed home.

I walked out into the night, everything was just cooling down.

While on my trek, I kept noticing a cloaked person always walking at least seven feet away. At first I blew this off as a coincidence of going in the same direction, but after about three turns of actually going home and just plain trying to lose him, I got worried.

"_What if he's a rapist?! Or a mugger! Or a murderer! In any case, I don't plan to lose anything right now! I just have to shake him off my trail!"_

I did a couple more complex weaves and turns, trying to confuse him; only problem was that I ended up confusing myself. I had no idea where I was! This is like one of those horror films people used to make, and I think I just became the main character! Curse my overdramatic summaries.

Now, as I started to obviously panic, he started to lessen the gap between us.

"_He's gonna jump me in a second, I just know it!!" _I frantically though.

I gave one last attempt to lose him, and made a sharp turn.

_Smack! _Right in to something; don't you just hate that?

I looked up, and was about half relieved, it was Shino, I sighed.

"Sakura." He said.

Maybe I was still a little uncomfortable, wouldn't you be, he's just so naturally creepy. (**I have nothing against Shino; I actually think he's kind of cool!**)

I looked around, the cloaked man had disappeared, I was safe. 

I stood up, as I had fallen on the ground, and looked at Shino again. "Sorry about that. I didn't see you there; I was in a bit of a rush."

"Escaping from that person who was coming up to you?" He asked.

"A…how'd you know?" I asked.

"I could see you running from him."

Okay, for the record, I did not run, I _briskly walked. _I don't care how lame that excuse sounds. Also, I can now see why I never really bothered to talk to this guy, he really freaks me out.

"If you're still scared," Shino said, "I could walk you home."

Any other day, I may have reminded myself of that while I was sticking my hand in a jar of spiders. (Oh, please, never.) But today, I really was sort of at my wits end, and would benefit from an escort, so I accepted, and he walked me home.

The next day, I told the girls what had happened while we continued setting up. They all gasped in shock as I described to them the man that was seemingly after me.

"Then, Shino offered to walk me home; I was sort of in a state of shock at the moment, so I accepted. After that, I got home and everything was normal." I finished my explanation.

"Sakura, you have to be more careful." Ino said. "You're lucky Shino was there, or something really bad could have happened!"

I sighed, "Okay, I know. I'll be more careful next time. For now, though, excuse me for a moment, I have to use the bathroom."

I stood up and walked past everyone. Behind me, I didn't notice all the girls look at each other with a mix of confusion and other emotions on their faces.

Later that night, the guests started to arrive. Ino greeted about the first ten people before her boyfriend, Sai, showed up; to which then, she left Hinata (Poor girl) to greet the guests.

The party continued on for a few more hours, I mostly hung out with Hinata by the door for the first part of it, until we decided that no more guests were going to be arriving, and we both snuck off to the snack bar.

I spent most of my time with Hinata, seeing as we were the only two of the five of us girls who didn't have a boyfriend (At the party, at least for me, Hinata was just plain single, we really need to put some confidence in her.)

A little while later, Ino had hitched herself off of Sai, and came over to me, claiming that she wanted to see and or make sure I was having a good time. Ino, Hinata and I slowly started to wander the house, just talking about the usual. Ino seemed to purposely lead us around the house, I think she was mentally boy-picking for Hinata; we've been trying to hook her up for months!

We all eventually stood around and talked, Temari and Tenten eventually making their ways to our little gang.

"Is it almost time yet?" I heard Tenten whisper to Ino.

"Any minute now." Ino whispered back.

"What are two whispering about?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing much." They said together.

I've said it once, I've said it two thousand times: my friends are weird.

There was suddenly a knocking sound, and I realized that our band had migrated to the door.

"They're here!" Ino cheered.

Everyone in the group besides me smiled.

"Who's here?" I asked.

"Just our guest of honor." Ino replied grabbing the door handle and pulling it wide open.

I stared, completely dumbfounded, I could have screamed, I could have fainted, all I did was gape open mouthed at the door.

Because standing on the steps of Ino's house, just six feet away, was Sasuke Uchiha.

**Bam! Woo! Wa-bum, bum, buuuum!! I make a bunch of weird sound effects when I get hyped up!! I know by about the middle of the chapter, I probably had some people screaming that Sasuke was coming, and you, my friend, are absolutely right!! Stay tuned for chapter three, because it doesn't end here! Not by a long shot, I still have a few plot twists to throw in, so beware!! (Or think it's totally awesome, I'm weirdly content with both! Mua ha!! Sorry, I've been hyper all freaking day!!!) Please review!! I love hearing from you guys!! XD **


	3. Reunion

**Chapter 3- Reunion**

I stared, still in shock; I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Was this really Sasuke Uchiha in front of me, was this really the man I had been missing this whole time, the man I came to fall in love with, was it really him, was he really here?

Ino was the one to break me from my trance, "Yes, Sakura, it's your Sasuke, in the flesh. He's really here."

A smile, one my friends hadn't seen in a long time, broke out across my face; I ran over to him and threw my arms around his neck, pulling him in to a hug. He responded by grabbing me around the waist.

"It's true," I said, "you're really here."

"Yeah," He replied, "I'm here, Sakura."

The next moment, he suddenly pulled me up and kissed me gently. Pulling back after a few seconds, and watching as I turned a shade of pink.

I turned to look at Ino. "How?" I asked.

It had taken me until I had gotten home from leaving Konoha Elementary to realize that we had never exchanged phone numbers, so I hadn't been able to talk to him at all over the past six months.

"You'd be surprised how simple it was." Ino smiled. "I just called up the school and asked to talk to him."

I looked to Sasuke now, that familiar smirk on his face. "At first, I thought she was another fangirl." Sasuke chuckled. "Until she mentioned that her name was Ino, and she was friends with you. I remembered you talking about her that day at the beach."

"Awe! Sakura, you talked about me? What'd you say?" Ino asked.

"Uh…I…just told him how you were my best friend." Did I really want to ruin such a beautiful moment by telling her I had called her a hyper-active loud-mouth?

"Speaking of blonde best friends." Sasuke said. "I want you to meet mine."

Only taking one arm off me and leaving the other around my waist, Sasuke turned to the door.

Sure enough, Sasuke's descriptions about his friends were spot on. First thing he did upon entering was talk as if he was outside, and the person he was speaking to twenty feet away.

"Hey! Teme!" The blonde who entered yelled. (For any who don't know, "Teme" means bastard, about everyone I've read who writes stories with Naruto talking to Sasuke uses teme, so I am, too! Deal with it!!) "I take it this is your cherry blossom. Wow; her hair really is pink!!"

Sasuke sighed, a little annoyed, "This is Naruto."

"I…uh…heard a bit about you, Naruto." I said.

"With Teme telling it, I guess it can't be anything good." Naruto laughed.

"Well," Ino said, "I guess we'll just leave you guys to catch up."

As if right on cue, Sai came by Ino's side and took her away, Neji and Shikamaru appearing as well to whisk off their girls; leaving only Hinata.

Naruto walked over to Hinata and stood by her. "I guess I'll just take this little cutie away. I'll see you guys later."

With that, Naruto took away a blushing Hinata, and left Sasuke and I to be the only two at the door.

I rested my head against him, "I really missed you." I said.

"I missed you, too." He replied.

We stood there for a couple more seconds, just enjoying each other's presence.

"So what do you want to do now?" I asked.

"Hm. It's a little cramped in here, how about we take a walk?" He said.

Nodding in agreement, we both snuck out of the party, the night air welcoming us. We walked off Ino's property and made our way in a random direction.

"So what'd Ino tell you when she called?" I asked curiously.

"After explaining to me how she knew you, and telling me that you were going through your own little depression over here, she proposed her plan. She told me how she was going to have this party, and that you'd be there, so we arranged for me to get off the island and come down here to see you." Sasuke explained.

"She told me the party was because she was 'breaking in her new house'." I sighed, how could I have believed her; then again, she constantly refers to everything like an accessory, so a quote like 'breaking it in' like a shoe kept it covered.

Damn, Ino finally got a point for being clever.

Sasuke laughed, "She's certainly an odd one, I could tell that just by talking to her on the phone. How in the world did you two ever decide to become best friends?"

"Childhood." I declared. "What about you and Naruto, you seem to be going the same way.

"Childhood strikes again." Sasuke replied.

We walked a while longer in silence.

"Tonight…" Sasuke began, "looks so much like last night."

"Hm." Was all I said, last night I was being _stalked._

"What's with you?" Sasuke asked.

"What?" I look at him.

"Your little reply, I thought I was the short answers one. Did something happen?"

"Well," I started, feeling uncomfortable, "last night while I was walking home, someone started to follow me. I started to freak out, and right before it seemed like they were going to jump me, I rounded a corner and rammed in to someone I know, who then walked me home."

I looked up, expecting to see something close to horror on his face. He was smirking at me; in fact, it looked like he was holding back laughter!

"What's with you!?" I growled. "I go through some traumatic experience and you're smirking at me! I could have been raped! I could have been killed! Don't you care!?"

"Oh, Sakura," Sasuke sighs, "I know for a fact that you weren't in any danger."

"What? You think it was some king of coincidence? That's what I was thinking at first until—"

I finally put it together.

"_THAT WAS _YOU_!?!_" I yelled.

"Shhh." He quieted me. "Don't want to make people think something's going on, do you?"

"It—was—you?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"I wanted to see you at least once before the party. Ino had told me not to show myself before hand, but I got antsy. I'm sorry for scaring you like that." Sasuke said.

I huffed, containing my little bout of anger.

Sasuke leaned over, kissed my cheek, and smirked. "It's so cute how you go into your little pouts."

At this, I couldn't help but turn red.

It was then that I realized something crucial, something I had overlooked because of my happiness, something that would make my heart break to ask Sasuke this.

When did he have to go back? When was this reunion going to end? How much time did I have left until I crumbled back into my depressed state?

**Okay, I'm starting to feel like queen of the cliffhangers, but this is dramatic! (I should have put this down for drama, but romance/humor works for me, after all, it's about romance, and I just can't help tying in little quirks of humor. [That I do hope some of you laugh at]) I'd say expect to see the next one soon, but I may be done writing for the rest of tonight, that and I have to actually plan what'll happen in chapter four! (Need fluff.) **


	4. Why me?

**Chapter 4- Why me?**

Sasuke and I walked along for a long time after all of that. We started talking about what else has been going on in our lives.

I laughed as he finished a story he was telling me.

"Seriously," He said, "Guy is a total weirdo."

"I can see that. It was pretty much my first impression just by his looks and the way he ranted about 'youth'." I replied.

Sasuke smirked, "Yeah."

It was silent for a couple seconds.

"Hey," Sasuke said, "didn't you recently turn eighteen?"

"Oh, yeah, I did. I guess that means you're almost nineteen?"

"A few months away."

"When do you turn nineteen?"

"In July, you?"

"March of next year."

"Well, we're not that far in age."

"I know, that's good."

"Yeah."

"…So…is Karin still chasing after you?" I asked.

"Yeah, after she caught me with the lipstick that one night," Both of us paused, remembering that with different swirls of emotions, love, anger, sleepiness, oh, why did I have to be born, curse my bad timing. (Okay, so most of these aren't really emotions, but you get my point.) "I can easily tell her now that I have a girlfriend; of course, I never tell her who, so she's sort of driven to believe I'm lying."

"Stupid fangirl…." I mutter.

"I thought I was the one who called her that." Sasuke said.

"Well, can't I? I mean, I really am your girlfriend, and I'm hearing that some jackass is trying to hit on you while I'm not around. I have every right to call her what I want." I said.

"Someone's got a mouth." Sasuke replied.

"I'm pretty sure you don't care so long as you're the one who gets to have it."

At this, Sasuke turned away, I know he's blushing.

"So, when do you think we should head back to the party? Would Naruto start wondering where you are?" I asked.

"Naruto typically doesn't care unless I don't come back at all. His mental curfew for me is two in the morning." Sasuke sighed. "What about your friend, Ino?"

"She may start getting worried soon, but seeing as she knows who I'm with, I'm thinking so long as I come back at some point in the night."

"Good." Sasuke said, glancing around. We were by a forest.

He then grabbed my hand and led me away.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"'I'm pretty sure you don't care so long as you're the one who gets to have it.'" He said.

It took me a moment to realize he had quoted what I said earlier. I blushed slightly, and he led me in to the forest.

An hour later, we arrived at the front of Ino's house; we could still hear the party going on inside.

We entered; the crowd had thinned out a bit while we were gone. We walked through the crowd, trying to find a couple empty chairs. Failing in finding two, Sasuke sat down and pulled me on to his lap; I flushed.

I saw Ino and Sai pass by; Ino spared a glance my way, and gave me a devilish look to see where I was currently sitting. She walked over to me.

"Well, well," She smirked, "look who's back. Where'd you guys escape to?"

"We just took a walk." I said.

Ino shot me a look that told me "_Tomorrow, you and me, phone, details._"

I gave her a little smile to say I would, and she walked off.

The two of us sat and chatted for a bit. (I know we seem to have a lot to talk about.) Sasuke eventually lifted me up and stood, saying he was getting hungry.

We walked over to the tables full of depleting food; I turned with my plate in hand and immediately almost dropped it.

A grin broke across my face, "Sasuke." I said. "Look at this."

He followed my gaze, and a wide smirk crossed his face.

On a couch, only about ten feet away, were Naruto and Hinata, both sitting very close, Naruto's arm around Hinata, who was flushing a deep shade of red as he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

I looked at Sasuke, "Either Ino brought alcohol, and he's drunk, or he's a flirt, which do you think?"

"I haven't seen what Naruto's like drunk yet, and he's typically a little shyer around girls than guys. I guess they just…attract each other."

I looked at Hinata, who looked up to see me smiling at her; she flushed an even deeper shade of red if that was even possible. She raised her hand a bit to wave at me.

Naruto seemed to have seen this, because he looked in her direction and spotted us.

"Hey! Teme! Sakura!" He yelled. "Come on over!"

We made our way over, when we got there, Naruto first tried to steal some of Sasuke's food, which he pulled away quickly. Naruto then motioned for us to sit.

Taking our seats, and Sasuke hitting Naruto in the head for trying to take his food again, we all started talking.

"You and Hinata seem to have taken an attraction to each other." I grinned at them.

I saw a little bit of color rise in Naruto's cheeks, "What can I say? It's like we're meant to be."

"Aren't you guys moving a bit fast?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh, you shouldn't even talk, Teme." Naruto retorted.

"I knew Sakura for three weeks before we got together, not three hours, you idiot." Sasuke replied.

I looked from Sasuke to Naruto, what an interesting system of communication they have.

"Well," Sasuke said, standing up and taking my hand to pull me up, "I think we'll just leave you two to keep getting acquainted. Don't drive home without me."

"Then I may be here all night, lover boy." Naruto replied.

Sasuke shot a glare at Naruto, and I turned a little red. Keeping hold of my hand, Sasuke led me off.

About a half hour later, I began to yawn, getting tired. Sasuke saw this, and started to lead me again. He led me out the door and started walking.

"Another walk?" I asked.

"No, I'm taking you home." Sasuke said.

"Shouldn't I tell Ino I'm going then?"

"I have to come back to get Naruto, I'll tell her if I find her. Now, you may want to start giving me directions."

We walked for a little while, eventually reaching my house. I sighed in relief to see the car was still gone, my mother wasn't home yet.

I got a sudden pang in my stomach, remembering the day my mother took me away from Konoha Elementary. Sasuke seemed to get the same feeling, because he squeezed my hand tighter for a moment.

We walked up to the front of my garage instead of the front door, in fear that my father may be home.

"It was so great to see you again." I smiled.

"The same." He replied.

"…How long…until you have to go back?" I asked.

"If you're worried this was a one night thing, you're wrong. I'll see you tomorrow, just go over to Ino's, I'll meet you there." He said.

I smiled happily, my fears fading for the time. "Okay." I said.

We stared at each other for a couple seconds before Sasuke grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into a kiss. I responded by putting my arms around his neck, and pressing closer.

I didn't expect, though, that while we were in that moment, headlights would suddenly be lighting us up into clear view.

We broke apart, and I felt my heart drop into my stomach.

My mother was home.

**I came up with this ending this morning, surprisingly. It's amazing how most of my ideas seem to come while laying in bed. Do you have a special ideas-just-come spot? Or am I just weird like that? **


	5. Love and loss

**Chapter 5- Love and loss**

To refresh your memory, here's what just happened. I was having the greatest night of my life, (so far) I was in the middle of kissing Sasuke Uchiha, and my mother, the one who for one reason or another hates Uchihas, had just come home to catch us in our moment.

Right now…life sucks.

"Sakura Haruno!!" My mother screeched, her pink hair seeming to turn a fiery red in her fit of rage.

"M-Mom!?" I yelled; I really didn't know what to say.

"How long?" My mother said venomously.

"What?" I asked.

"How long has…_he_ been here?"

"Mrs. Haruno," Sasuke tried to say, "I—"

"Shut it, Uchiha!" My mother snapped.

Sasuke almost flinched back at her scream.

"Mom, what is it you have against Uchihas?" I asked. "What could you have against them?"

My mother huffed, glaring at us both. "Sakura, go inside _right now_."

"You can't keep me away from Sasuke!" I blurted out, not in control of my own thoughts or words at the moment. "I know you have some sort of problem with them, but the fact is that you can't stop our love for each other!"

My mother looked as though she was just slapped in the face.

"You…have no _idea _what you're talking about!" My mother growled.

My mother held her head down; I saw something drop from her face. _A tear._

My mother was crying.

"…Fugaku…." I heard her whisper.

She then ran past Sasuke and I, and in to the house. I had no idea what had happened with her last sentence, but Sasuke looked completely in shock.

"Sasuke?" I said.

He seemed to snap out of a trance. "Hn?"

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine." He said. "Though…I think your mother isn't. I'm just shocked she knows his name."

I looked at Sasuke in confusion. "What, Fugaku? Who's that?"

"Fugaku Uchiha…" Sasuke sighed. "Is my father."

I looked at him, awestruck.

"Your father?" I said. "So, my mom knows your father?"

"You may want to go talk to her." Sasuke said. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura."

He gave me a peck on the cheek, and walked off back towards Ino's house.

I watched him until he disappeared down the road, then I looked at my house.

"…Mom…what happened?" I whispered.

I walked into my house. My father was sitting in a chair in the main room. He looked up at me, and motioned his head towards the hall. He never says a lot, but sometimes I'm glad for that.

I walked down the hall towards my parent's room. I could just hear the sound of my mother crying. I hesitantly opened the door.

"Mom?" I called.

She looked up at me, then back to the pillow she was crying into. I walked over and sat down next to her.

"Mom…" I said. "What happened between you and Sasuke's father?"

My mother gave me a sideways glance. She remained silent, pondering her words.

"Fugaku…" My mother started, "was someone I knew when I was younger."

I kept silent, urging her to go on.

"I, too, thought that I had fallen in love. He appeared to share my feelings."

I pondered the thought for a moment, of me being born an Uchiha rather than a Haruno. Sasuke wouldn't have been born. I shivered for a second at the thought.

"Then…one day…Fugaku had taken me out for the night. We were nineteen; and I thought he was going to ask me to marry him."

My mother's fists clenched and unclenched, struggling to say what happened next.

"Instead…he told me that he fell in love with someone else…and left without another word. They had a big wedding, and I had been invited, but I didn't show. I couldn't go…I couldn't see the man I thought I loved marrying someone else. I heard they had two sons, and that they were completely in love. It infuriated me so much, and then you showed up…with that mans youngest son…."

She broke into a couple more fits of sobs. It pained me to see my mother crying, but it pained me even more to hear about what it was that made her cry.

"Mom…." I tried to speak.

"I don't want you to get hurt…I don't want the possibility that his son will do to you what he, himself did to me."

I couldn't say anything, at least, nothing that may bring on more of her, or my own, tears. We sat in silence like that for a while.

The next morning, I woke up in my room; forgetting to set my alarm, I was woken by my cell phone ringing.

I picked it up and answered. "Hi, Ino." I sighed.

"I guess she's a routine kind of girl." I heard a voice say.

I shot up, "Sasuke?"

"The one and only."

"What are you doing calling at a time like this?"

"I'm at Ino's wondering where you are." Sasuke replied.

"What time is it?!" I jumped.

I looked at the clock, it was nearly noon!! I started to scramble out of bed.

"I can't believe I slept in so late! I can't remember how long I was up!"

"I ended up with no sleep until three in the morning." Sasuke said. "So, how'd it go with your mother?"

I froze, my shirt pulled on half-way. That's right…I remember now.

"There's…something I need to tell you." I said.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I…well…I'll tell you when I get to Ino's. I'd prefer telling you in person."

"Okay, well, hurry over; you want me to pick you up?"

"Oh, no, I don't think that would be a good idea." I replied. "I'll just see you in half an hour tops."

"Okay, see you then."

"See you."

My whole process actually only took about ten minutes. My mother and father had already left for work; I grabbed a bagel from the kitchen and ran out the door.

I was just finishing my bagel when I reached the front door to Ino's. I walked in, (Ino says we can, and she never locks her door anyway.) I saw Sasuke standing in the entryway.

He immediately walked over and gave me a swift kiss. "So?" He asked.

"Apparently…" I tried to explain it delicately, "my mom had…dated your father when they were younger."

This seemed to take Sasuke a minute to process; he mouthed the words "Oh, wow." and waited for me to continue.

"One day he had taken her out, and he told her…that he fell in love with someone else, and left her."

Sasuke was silent, either waiting for me to continue now, or digesting what he just heard.

"The other woman, your mother, and your father got married and had two sons she told me." I said. "She also said that she didn't want me to be with you…because she's afraid that you'll do to me what your father did to my mother."

Sasuke pulled me in to a hug. I stood there in his arms, a little confused.

"If your mother thinks I would really do that, she's wrong." Sasuke said. "And we need to tell her that our feelings are real, and I don't have any intention of leaving you."

"She'll probably just say something like, 'That's what Fugaku had said to me, but now look'." I said.

Sasuke grabbed my hand, and pulled me out of the house.

"Sasuke," I said, "where are we going?"

He didn't say anything.

"If you wanted to tell my mother what you just told me right now it won't work, she's not even home right now."

He kept dragging me along.

We eventually ended up by the forest we had snuck in to last night. At first I was completely confused, now doesn't really seem like the right time for something like that.

He pulled me past a few trees and pushed me against a tree.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Sasuke's mouth twitched, like he was trying to find words, but couldn't pick the right ones.

"Sakura…" He said.

I looked at him, urging him to continue.

"Really, I wanted to do this later, when things weren't so confusing…but if I don't do it now, we may never be able to find peace."

I had no idea what he was talking about.

"I truly want to prove to your mother that I'm not like my father, that I would never cause you the pain she feels. I'm completely and totally in love with you, and could never bring myself to hurt you in any way."

He reached into his pocket, grabbed my hands, and got down on one knee. (We all know what's coming!!!!)

He showed me a golden ring with a diamond in the middle.

"Sakura Haruno, will you marry me?"

**Ta-dah!!! I'm not entirely sure about stopping right here of all places. (In fact, I feel downright cheesy doing so.) But I did it anyway!! Our story is coming to a close!! There's probably going to be about one or two more chapters, and then we shall end our little story! (Unless I suddenly get hit with a big plot twist, but I highly doubt it seeing as I've already twisted this left, right, and backwards.) Just wait a bit for the upcoming installment of "Two Halves of the Same Heart"!! **


	6. The grand fiance

**Chapter 6- The grand Fiancé **

(If you can see past the title, I know, it's cheesy. Sorry for making you guys wait, had stuff to do! Enjoy the final chapter!!)

I was in total shock, I couldn't breathe, Sasuke Uchiha, _Sasuke Uchiha, _had just proposed to me.

"Sakura…" Sasuke said. "If you think it's going too fast, I can wait, it's just—"

I cut him off by pressing my lips to his, and throwing my arms around him.

I came up and looked him straight in the eye. "Of course I'll marry you!" I practically yelled. "I'd be a total idiot not to!"

I hugged him, he hugged me back, he put the ring on my finger, I had to hold back tears of joy.

I suddenly thought of my mother, what was she going to say? She can't say no, can she? I mean, I'm eighteen now, I'm a legal adult, I have the authority to decide who I marry on my own now.

Sasuke seemed to sense my thoughts, "I would think…that your mother should be happy…no matter how she feels about my father."

"I just wish that we could sort this out for her." I said. "Show her that not all Uchihas are like that, or at least something to make her feel better."

Sasuke's eyes widened for a second. "Why didn't I think of that before?!" He said.

"Think of what before what?" I asked.

Sasuke stood up and started to exit the forest. He turned his head to look at me, "Next time you see me, I'll have the answer to our problems! Just go to Ino's and wait there!"

I sat on the ground for a moment more, watching him run off. I finally stood up, and hurried over to Ino's.

I didn't really know what to do when I got there, however. Ino had fallen asleep obviously within seconds of starting to clean up hours ago, and she was still asleep now. I could just detect the smell of alcohol coming from her open mouth. I didn't really know if it was a bad thing or a blessing, seeing as if I had walked into her house at that moment, and she saw the ring now occupying my finger, she'd be screaming with joy and making me suffer permanent hearing damage.

I sat down on one of the only couches available that wasn't covered in some kind of random collection of items. I looked over to my sleeping friend and sighed.

What on earth was Sasuke up to?

I heard the phone ring from the kitchen, and I walked over to answer it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Sakura, is that you?" I heard Tenten's voice say.

"Yeah." I replied. "If you're looking for Ino, she's in a dead drunk sleep from last night."

"I bet; I had a bit of a hangover this morning, too."

"So, why'd you call?" I asked.

"I wanted to see if Ino was doing okay. You need me to come over?" She asked.

I pondered this for a moment, "…Yeah, that'd be good, and could you bring by Hinata and maybe even Temari?"

"Sure, no problem, see you in a bit."

"Thanks, bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone as there was a loud snort from Ino.

"I always knew she had a pig in her." I sighed.

Tenten, Hinata, and Temari were over within twenty minutes, and just like I thought would happen, their eyes all seemed to immediately dart down to the ring on my left hand.

Tenten and Temari shrieked, and Hinata looked like she was about to faint.

I reluctantly let them in while they pelted twenty questions at me in ten seconds.

Their chatter was broken by a voice down the hall, "Hey!!" It yelled; it was Ino. "Whad'ya screamin' about!? Keep i' down!!"

Tenten ran over to Ino, whispered "Sasuke proposed to Sakura and she said yes." And Ino immediately whipped her body up, completely sober. (Or at least as sober as she can normally be.)

"WHAT!!?" Ino screamed. "Sakura you're getting married to Sasuke!?"

Now I really regretted asking Tenten to come over with everyone, then again, it's now or later, and I'd prefer to get it out of the way.

"Yeah." I said, getting shy and scooting behind Hinata.

"Don't you start hiding!" Ino yelled, and ran over to me, grabbing my left hand and putting it forward so everyone could examine my ring.

"How'd he propose to you?" Temari asked.

"And why isn't he here right now holding on to you like you're his life!?" Ino yelled.

"He had a…matter to attend to." I replied.

"What is that boy thinking?!" Ino sighed. "You don't propose to someone and then leave them to go do some other stupid thing!!"

"Well…it was important." I said.

"What is more important at the moment than cuddling up to your _fiancé_?" Ino asked.

I started to fidget with the end of my shirt, and I started to explain what had happened last night, and ended after the incident where Sasuke ran off after I accepted his proposal.

Everyone was completely silent, even Ino, whose mouth was hanging open in shock.

I blinked, it was becoming uncomfortable.

The girls suddenly went into a frenzy of questions and comments, and I was beginning to wish it'd get quiet again.

"You know what this means, right?" Ino asked.

"W-what?" I stammered.

"You, Sakura Haruno, are one _daaamn _lucky girl! You've got a man who is completely and utterly in love with you, and he's probably fighting right now for it!!" Ino shrieked.

"Gee, took you that long to figure it out?" I mumbled; I pretty much already knew everything she had just said.

The little rumble going on was then interrupted by a knock on the door.

All of us looked at each other, and then everyone turned their eyes to me.

Ino waved her hand at me, urging me to go answer the door. I walked down the hall; I didn't know what to say when I opened it, though.

I opened the door, expecting Sasuke to be there, but it wasn't. Instead, Naruto stood at the door.

"Hey, Sakura!" He greeted me loudly.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I heard Hinata was here, and we sort of had plans, so—"

I heard the girls shriek down the hall, followed by a flurry of questions in Hinata's direction.

Hinata emerged, red faced and pressing her fingers together in nervousness. Naruto smiled, walked over to her, and planted a kiss on her cheek, causing Hinata to flare up a bit more.

Naruto started to lead Hinata out the door when I stopped him.

"Oh, Naruto, have you seen Sasuke at all in the past about forty five minutes?" I asked.

Naruto took a second to think, then, looking at me, he said, "Yeah, I saw him about half an hour ago going in to my house (He lives in the town they're in.) through the back, at first I thought it was someone trying to break in, but it was just him. I don't really know what he was up to, though, looked like he was on the phone."

"Oh," I said, a little confused, "okay, thanks, Naruto."

"No problem; if you see the Teme, tell him I may be home late tonight." Naruto said, and Hinata seemed to get deeper in color to the point you'd think she'd just faint already.

"Okay." I replied, and the two exited.

I turned around, not really bothering to close the door, and then I heard Naruto, "Teme! We were just talking about you!!"

I whipped around, Naruto and Hinata were about halfway down the driveway, and Sasuke was coming up it to me, not even glancing at Naruto.

Sasuke walked up to me, I was about to start questioning him when he clasped my hand and started to pull me out the door.

"S-Sasuke!" I stammered, "W-where are we going now?"

Sasuke looked back at me, a new gleam in his eyes that I've never seen before, "To set things right."

I took one last glance behind me, feeling six eyes on my back, and sure enough, the remaining girls had all gathered at the entrance, and were giving me silent exclamations that I couldn't read through their tangled mass.

Sasuke led me through a portion of the town, and eventually, I knew where we were going.

We were going to my house, and I just knew my mother was home.

Sure enough, we walked up to my house, and my mother's car was parked in the driveway. Sasuke led me to the door, not really bothering to knock because I was with him, and there was my mother, standing in the front room like she had been expecting us.

My mother glared at Sasuke with as much force as she could give, but Sasuke ignored it, and held up my left hand to show my ring.

Was he suicidal or something, did he really just do what I think he did, is there some unknown force working against me at the moment that is just _wishing _for and laughing at my suffering?

My mother's eyed widened, and she immediately shot her glare to me.

"Sakura Haruno," My mother growled, "does it give you some form of joy to anger me so?"

"M-Mom—" I stammered.

"Sakura, I am _not _letting you marry him!" My mother barked.

"Mom, why can't you—"

This time Sasuke cut me off. (I was never going to get a word in, was I?) "Mrs. Haruno, I fully understand now the pain you've been going through over the years."

My mother shot me a "you told him?!" glance, and I gave her an "I didn't say anything" glance.

"I know all of this now because I just recently got off the phone with Fugaku, my father." Sasuke said. (His parents are alive here, got it?!)

My mother's eyes widened, but she went back to her angry face, and permitted him to continue.

"My father…really regrets what he did to you."

My mother seemed to soften a bit.

"He told me that he was truly sorry for breaking your heart like that, and that if he hadn't met my mother when he did, he almost for certain would have married you."

I saw her arms beginning to un-tense.

"He also told me…that he wishes the two of you could forget the past, because he would love to hear from you again, and get reacquainted. He pretty much begged for you to accept that I am a different person than he is, and that I will take care of Sakura, and he would love to have her as a daughter-in-law, almost like a way to rebuild the bridge that snapped all those years ago. He begs you for your forgiveness and your blessings, Mrs. Haruno. In turn, I want to prove to you that I will in fact keep to what my father has described of me, I love Sakura, and I will forever, and I would like it a lot to have you as a mother-in-law."

After his speech ended, my mother broke into tears, and collapsed onto her knees. I ran to her, and saw something amazing, she was smiling, she was crying, but she was smiling.

My mother looked up at me then Sasuke, wiping her tears.

She took a deep breath, "Sasuke…Uchiha…."

My mother came up and stood in front of him.

_Smack!! _

I nearly fainted at what just happened; _my mother just slapped my fiancé!! _

Sasuke stood still for a moment, taking in the shock of what just happened; my mother then threw her arms around him in a hug.

"Tell Fugaku…" She cried, "That I will accept his apology, and that I will give my blessings to you two."

I could have started crying I was so happy!! (Trying to hold them back, don't want two crying girls in the house, be strong, Sakura! Be strong!!)

Sasuke smiled, not _smirked, smiled, _as he hugged my mother. "Thank you." He said.

My mother let him go and I walked over to our happy little group. I thought, suddenly, of the reactions of everyone when they hear what happened. Ino would scream, and so would Tenten, and so would Temari, and Hinata may just faint. (With Naruto there to catch her fall.)

I was suddenly hit with a realization that stopped me three feet from them.

"Sasuke." I said; he looked at me. "What about your job at Konoha Elementary? Don't you have to go back soon?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." Sasuke said, and my heart dropped. "I quit."

It took my brain a moment to process this.

"You…_what? _You _quit!? _What about your brother?" I asked.

"Oh, he was a little pissed, but that guy is too damn smart for his own good, he knew why I quit. He knew I was coming for you, which is why I didn't come here with a black eye."

I laughed a little nervously, _"Him and his brother seem to have an even odder form of communication than he and Naruto…this is going to take some getting used to."_

I looked down at my engagement ring and smiled.

"_But…" _I suddenly thought, happily. _"I'll have years and years to get used to them, because some number of months from now, I'll be Sakura _Uchiha._" _

Sasuke seemed to sense the last part of my thought, because I heard him whisper, "Sasuke and Sakura…Uchiha…I like the sound of that."

I blushed a little and smiled at him.

Now…I can have my best life ever_, _with the man who has filled in the other half of my whole.

**END**

**Cheesy ending, cheesy beginning, meh!! Oh well, it's still about my greatest achievement yet! I made a first story, and then I made a sequel that has gotten so many reviews and hits I could just squeal with joy! (That's saying a lot, because I don't squeal darn it! I'm a tomboy with a natural sense into romance and humor!! And yes, I do consider myself an odd person for being so.) This has been my longest chapter yet, and I hope you guys enjoyed it!! Please review! Oh, and just to let you know, right before I decided to finish this, I came up with a new story idea! It's another SasuSaku, and I have the beginning and a climactic scene all planned out!! (Which seemed to pop up into my head at the same time, just means less thinking for me!!) Look out for it, and hoped you enjoyed these stories!!! **

**One last thing, thank you sasusakufan2357, because oddly enough, your review you sent saying that you hoped Sakura's mother will give them her blessing helped me think and conquer my little artist block, so this last chapter is kudos to you!! XP (And yes, I read ALL the reviews, (several times) and each one fills me with happiness, so this whole thing is kudos to everyone!!!) **


End file.
